Online Crowdfunding Campaigns for Diabetes-Related Expenses
Authors: Caroline E. Sloan, Ada Campagna, Karissa Tu, Steven Doerstling, J. Kelly Davis, Peter A. Ubel
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2023)

LettersJuly 2023Online Crowdfunding Campaigns for Diabetes-Related ExpensesCaroline E. Sloan, MD, MPH, Ada Campagna, MA, Karissa Tu, BS, Steven Doerstling, MD, J. Kelly Davis, BA, Peter A. Ubel, MDCaroline E. Sloan, MD, MPHDuke University School of Medicine and Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Ada Campagna, MACenter for Advanced Hindsight, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Karissa Tu, BSUniversity of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, Steven Doerstling, MDStanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, J. Kelly Davis, BADuke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Peter A. Ubel, MDDuke University School of Medicine, Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Fuqua School of Business, and Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M23-0540 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: More than 40% of patients with diabetes in the United States have trouble paying their medical bills. Among patients with health-related financial hardship, 56% have delayed or foregone care (1). By one estimate, an insulin-dependent patient with insurance spends about $4800 annually on medications, physicians' visits, supplies, hospitalizations, and lost wages, equivalent to 15% of the median U.S. per capita income (2).Crowdfunding is increasingly being used by patients struggling with medical costs (3). Crowdfunding campaigns can shed light on the types of expenses that patients with diabetes may struggle to afford (3).Objective: To leverage the rich real-world ...References1. Caraballo C, Valero-Elizondo J, Khera R, et al. Burden and consequences of financial hardship from medical bills among nonelderly adults with diabetes mellitus in the United States. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2020;13:e006139. [PMID: 32069093] doi:10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.119.006139 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Nguyen A, Mui K. The Staggering True Cost of Diabetes. GoodRx Research. April 2020. Accessed at www.grxstatic.com/4f3rgqwzdznj/6Q5qUjkrhppOzC9nM23vhW/867883e7208f529a8f24f1e7da67993e/Diabetes-Cost-White-Paper.pdf on 10 December 2022. Google Scholar3. Blanchette JE, Tran MJ, Grigorian EG, et al. GoFundMe as a medical plan: ecological study of crowdfunding insulin success. JMIR Diabetes. 2022;7:e33205. [PMID: 35436214] doi:10.2196/33205 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Doerstling SS, Akrobetu D, Engelhard MM, et al. A disease identification algorithm for medical crowdfunding campaigns: validation study. J Med Internet Res. 2022;24:e32867. [PMID: 35727610] doi:10.2196/32867 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Lippi G, Plebani M. Diabetes alert dogs: a narrative critical overview. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2019;57:452-458. [PMID: 30267628] doi:10.1515/cclm-2018-0842 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Caroline E. Sloan, MD, MPH; Ada Campagna, MA; Karissa Tu, BS; Steven Doerstling, MD; J. Kelly Davis, BA; Peter A. Ubel, MDAffiliations: Duke University School of Medicine and Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaCenter for Advanced Hindsight, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaUniversity of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WashingtonStanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CaliforniaDuke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaDuke University School of Medicine, Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Fuqua School of Business, and Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North CarolinaNote: This study was approved by the Duke University Institutional Review Board.Acknowledgment: The authors thank David Edelman for providing critical input on the manuscript draft.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M23-0540.Reproducible Research Statement: Study protocol: Not available. Statistical code and data set: Available from Dr. Sloan (e-mail, caroline.[email protected].edu).Corresponding Author: Caroline E. Sloan, MD, MPH, Duke University School of Medicine, 710 Main Street, Durham, NC 27701; e-mail, caroline.[email protected].edu.This article was published at Annals.org on 13 June 2023. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Current IssueJuly 2023Volume 176, Issue 7Page: 1012-1014KeywordsDrug pricesSocial health determinantsType 2 diabetes ePublished: 13 June 2023 Issue Published: July 2023 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2023 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...